Squad news

Q&A WITH BODIPO

08 May 2009Rodolfo Bodipo will be the starting striker at Huelva, precisely against one of teams in which he debuted as professional. The Guinean talked to newspaper La Opini??n and explained his current situation and that he wonâ€™t celebrate in case of scoring.

Q: A game full of memories, huh? A: The return to Huelva is always joyful, because I have many friends there.

Q: You have never scored there since you left, if you do it on Sunday, will you celebrate it? A: No, no way.

Q: In the first round you already scored at the Riazor, I guess you wouldnâ€™t mind repeating though without celebrating it. A: Sure, the interests are different, but I will always be grateful to Recre for giving me the opportunity to make a name for myself in Spanish football, but we also play for a lot of things and the three points would be excellent for our aspirations.

Q: It would be a bittersweet victory, because Recreativo would end half touched, almost relegated. A: Yes, but we have three points in mind to fulfill the dream of going into Europe for next year, so we also have too much motivation to be looking at others.

Q: They say the Nuevo Colombino is going to be a pressure cooker, as you well know, do you think the atmosphere will influence during the game? A: There will be pressure, because itâ€™s a group of fans that support a lot and they have been always there in bad times, and now they arrive motivated by the victory at Pamplona in the last minute. I think the fans will push hard trying to put pressure from the first minute, but we have to be very calm and seize our chances.

Q: With four matchdays remaining, the team is at the position that Lotina wanted, with the possibility of reaching the UEFA, and even the Champions League.A: What is clear to me is that we have to take it with great philosophy, because for us it would be a prize for a great season and other rivals, with greater economic power, can consider an exit from the Champions as a disaster, so we have to take it with calmness and then develop our football.

Q: At the beginning of the season, and taking into account the squad of Valencia, Villarreal, Atletico, did you imagine Depor will be fighting against these teams for a Champions League place? A: Whenever you trademark goals, and after what we spent on the last year, we were thinking of the permanence, once we achieved that, you seek higher things.

Q: Do you really see yourself playing the Champions League next year? A: Absolutely not. We have in favor a psychological factor, because we shouldnâ€™t have pressure like other rivals almost obliged to enter Europe.

Q: But how would be the celebration? Something like Iniestaâ€™s goal against Chelsea? A: I wouldnâ€™t tell you what I would do, firstly because we neither are in the Champions nor in UEFA, and we have a very difficult game on Sunday.

Q: If you donâ€™t enter Europe, will you consider it as a failure? Or no matter what happens will you consider the season as excellent? A: I think that we have worked well and we have given everything and if we enter, I will be enchanted, and if not, then nothing.

Q: The calendar of the rivals invites to the optimism, right? A: Sundayâ€™s game will not be a bed of roses and then Getafe arrives, which is also a very difficult game, because they are also playing for the permanence, and then Sevilla could arrive with the third place secured. Barcelona, if they arrive as the champion, in quotes, could give more facilities, so we have a good calendar compared with other teams.

Q: So, you see more difficult the first two games compared to the last two? A: It will be harder, much harder.

Q: This Depor seems like team with many resources, because almost all players have been starters in one phase or another. Do you think this fact speaks well of the squad? A: The coach has given options and has managed to get the better effort of each player at the right time, and right now we all have something to win and everybody is contributing with their grain of sand, though with more or less continuity.

Q: On a personal level, how do you value the season, considering that earlier you were one of the discards? A: I always trusted in my chances and had to be focused in my work. From that point, I'm not one hundred percent happy, because the injuries have not respected me and I didnâ€™t have the continuity that I wanted, but I'm the same one when I was half out compared when I achieved that streak of goals scored.

Q: Despite everything, you have four goals in la liga and two more between UEFA and the Copa. It doesnâ€™t seems as too many for a striker, but it is your best mark at Depor. A: In the first two years at Deportivo, I didnâ€™t enjoy of anything, firstly due the first knee injury and then by other factors, and this year I was beginning to enjoy. I would ask for something more, but football is like this and I hope that in future years I will have more continuity to do what I like, which are the goals.

Q: We have seen you very comfortable playing alongside Lassad, what do you think? A: Lassad makes you play and I act more as a referent, sometimes you also need to fulfill the dirty work in order to see your team mates entering from the second line, therefore I think Iâ€™m better with a partner up front. And the proof is Sundayâ€™s goal, which normally I would try to stop the ball instead of attempting the pass, and then it isnâ€™t the same.